Two interventions, progressive muscle relaxation and guided imagery, showed changes in fetal behavior. The intervention groups had higher long-term variation during and after relaxation compared to the controls (p=.039), and the control fetuses had more fetal heart rate acceleration, especially during and after quiet rest (p=.027).

Women in the progressive muscle relaxation group had significantly more uterine activity than women in the guided imagery group (p=.011) and than the women controls. Maternal heart rate, blood pressure, and stress hormones were not associated with fetal behavior.

This study concludes that the fetus might participate in maternal relaxation and suggests that guided imagery is superior to progressive muscle relaxation. This could especially be true for women who tend to direct their attention to body sensations such as abdominal activity.

Psychotherapist, author and guided imagery pioneer Belleruth Naparstek is the creator of the popular Health Journeys guided imagery audio series. Her latest book on imagery and posttraumatic stress, Invisible Heroes: Survivors of Trauma and How They Heal (Bantam Dell), won the Spirituality & Health Top 50 Books Award